Actress Hwang Jung-eum, who was indicted for embezzling company funds amounting to 4.3 billion won, has ultimately been excluded from advertisements. Despite her apology and declaration of self-reflection, public opinion remains cold.
Smile Gone in 3 Days… Only Hwang Jung-eum Disappeared from Ads
On the 15th, Daesang Wellife completely deleted advertisements featuring Hwang Jung-eum for health food from all official channels like YouTube, blogs, and SNS. The advertisement, which was produced with the theme of reuniting the main characters of ‘High Kick Through the Roof,’ was hurriedly taken down less than four days after release.
Choi Daniel, Lee Jong-seok, and Oh Hyun-kyung remained in the ads, but Hwang Jung-eum was excluded from print and video ads, prompting an immediate reaction from the advertising industry. Although she left the poster on Instagram, she faced criticism for “being in an advertisement while on trial.”
Admission of Embezzlement…42 Billion Invested in Cryptocurrency
On the same day, Hwang Jung-eum’s first trial was held at the Jeju District Court. She was indicted for unauthorized use of 43.4 billion won from the corporate funds of Hunminjeongeum Entertainment. Most of the funds were confirmed to have been used for coin investment.
The said corporation is a family company wholly owned by Hwang Jung-eum, and she admitted all charges in her first trial. She stated that she acted on advice to increase company funds through coin investment and mentioned that part of the funds have been repaid, with the rest being processed.
Apology Issued “I Will Take Responsibility”… Variety Show Broadcasting Also Under ‘Review’
Through her agency, Hwang Jung-eum issued an official apology, saying, “I mistakenly thought the money came from my earnings. My judgment was very immature.” She also added, “I will not evade responsibility. I will take all necessary responsibilities.”
Meanwhile, SBS Plus’s variety show <Soloriseo>, which Hwang Jung-eum is currently appearing on, is scheduled to end after 20 episodes, but the editing of the remaining broadcast footage is still under discussion. The program, which documents her parenting life, is causing further controversy.
Continuous Controversy… Ads, Variety Shows, and Tax Investigation “The Shadow Is Too Deep”
In recent years, Hwang Jung-eum has been beset by constant personal life issues. Her personal life has overshadowed her entertainment activities, with controversies over marriage, divorce, reconciliation, public dating, profit disputes in building sales, and irregular tax audits.
The bright smile from advertisement images has been removed, and the ‘single mom’s struggle’ shown in variety shows has turned into skepticism among viewers. The only thing left for Hwang Jung-eum is the convincing sincerity in rectifying her mistakes.
